Dragonclan: The Tale of Three: Darkness Awaits
by darkdreamsinthedeadofnight
Summary: Dragonclan, a clan hidden deep in the forests with the rivers by the gorge where Skyclan resides, and farther beyond there Heroclan lies. The three clans, after a struggle to maintain peace and establish borders and a normal routine, have finally succeeded in creating a peaceful and normal life for those living there...or so it seems.


**Dragonclan:**

**The Tale of Three**

_Darkness Awaits_

_True strength comes from protecting those closest to you..._

Many moons ago a clan by the name of Skyclan came to live in the gorge, cast out by the four clans inhabiting the forest. Now, the story of Skyclan being exiled and forced to move into the gorge is simply a legend, a tale to be told by the oldest elders to pass on into the next generation of kits, until the story soon fades away into the mist too, along with all knowledge of the outside clans, as another clan emerges from the dark, Heroclan. Two clans living in the forest and gorge, struggling to find peace and harmony, but after many moons it seems that their routine will go on undisturbed. Until now, when a new clan has risen to the call, a clan created by an exiled Heroclan cat, Dragonstar, who was fierce and strong but who's heart was true, and who went on to become one of the greatest warriors and leaders the gorge has ever known. And now, thanks to Dragonstar, Dragonclan is strong, and all three clans are at peace, content with their lives as they settle into the routine finally, and it seems that all trouble has ended and they will be free to live their lives in peace and harmony. But a shadow hangs over the three clans, threatening to destroy and tear apart the lives that they have worked so hard to make...

_|chapter 1|_

"Ravenkit! Wake up you lazy furball!" A voice whispered in her ear. Ravenkit stirred in her sleep, stretching her dark, nearly black eyes wide open as she yawned. "You didn't have to wake me up so early Moonkit." She grumbled to the she-kit, rolling her eyes and flicking her tail grumpily. "I didn't wake you up early!" Moonkit protested innocently, looking at the entrance as bright, warm sunshine filtered through. "I guess it's too bright to be dawn." Ravenkit murmured reluctantly, shifting her paws and sighing. "No kidding!" A young, spotted she-kit exclaimed as she bounced over. "The dawn patrol left ages ago!" The spotted she-kit complained, rolling her eyes and moving her paws around restlessly, as Ravenkit grinned in spite of her rude awakening.

"Where have you been Wildkit? You have a bit of moss in your fur." She giggled, lifting her paw to brush aside the scraps of moss. "I was over at the drinking pool and there was some moss left over so I started playing with it!" She purred, her amber gaze bright. "Come on, follow me and I'll show you!" She dashed off as Ravenkit and Moonkit looked at eachother, rolling their eyes and sighing knowingly as they took off in pursuit of their sister. Wildkit slowed to a trot as they reached the exit of the nursery out into the clearing. Ravenkit peered forward, her eyes squinting as she adjusted to the light. Wildkit stopped at the middle of the camp where the fresh-kill pile stood, beside that a small stream trickling in from a minature waterfall at the side of camp to lead into a medium sized, fairly deep pool, deep enough to wade in it but shallow enough to not have to worry about falling over and drowning.

Ravenkit padded up to it, gazing into the pool and studying her reflection curiously. She was short and slim, and very small, especially compared to her two sisters although they were the same age. She looked especially different from them, with her pure black, sleek coat and dark, intelligent eyes.

She looked at Moonkit who also seemed to be doing the same thing as she gazed at her reflection wonderingly. She had a bright ginger coat, identical to Wildkit except with slightly darker stripes, not spots like Wildkit had. She had bright hazel eyes contrary to Wildkit's eyes, but they still looked fairly identical.

Ravenkit then peeked over at Wildkit who had just finished lapping up water from the pool. She was a bright spotted ginger she-kit with light amber eyes, only a few shades darker than Moonkit's. They both took after their mother, Goldenfur, while she took after their father, Swiftstep. She looked around the camp, trying to spot his dark tabby coat, but he was gone, probably on the hunting patrol.

"So what do you wanna today? Explore?" Ravenkit asked, drinking a few quick laps of water. Wildkit shrugged and looked to Moonkit who nodded.

"Can we go get some fresh-kill first?" She suggested wistfully, as Ravenkit and Wildkit purred with amusement and nodded, following her to the fresh-kill pile. Ravenkit sighed, looking at the pile in dismay. "There aren't any mice left." She complained, sniffing the pile as Moonkit chose a sparrow. Wildkit looked up, shrew spilling out of her jaws as she took a giant bite. "Oh Ravenkit, stop being so picky." She said through a mouthful of prey, her voice muffled with the fur from her prey. "Just close your eyes, pick one and eat!" She swallowed and gulped down another giant bite of prey as Moonkit fell over, laughing and Ravenkit snorted in disgust.

"Looks like you got lucky Ravenkit, the hunting patrol is back." Moonkit announced cheerfully, turning towards the entrance of the camp as three cats walked through, one with a mouse, one with a vole and one with two birds dangling from their mouths. Ravenkit's mouth watered as her eyes landed on the plump, juicy mouse that was hanging from Waterclaw, a senior warrior's, jaws.

Wildkit squealed with excitement as Swiftstep followed, stepping through with two thrushes in his mouth, smiling proudly. A purr erupted from behind the three kits as Goldenfur padded out and walked up to him, a giant smile plastered across her face. "Thrushes! My favorite!" She said with delight as they both let out another purr in unison, and sat at the fresh-kill pile. Ravenkit looked behind them, struggling to see Waterclaw's silver pet with the fat mouse as she dug her claws into the ground with hungry anticipation.

"Ravenkit! Moonkit! Wildkit!" Swiftstep said cheerfully, giving a playful little push to Ravenkit as she managed to acknowledge him with a purr. Moonkit and Wildkit bounced up to Goldenfur and Swiftstep, talking about how much they couldn't wait to explore the whole camp for the first time. Goldenfur purred with amusement. "Careful in the elder's den." She advised, her tail flicking. "They love kits but if you get in the way, they'll get grumpy, especially Spottedfang." She said as Swiftstep _mrow_ed with laughter. "Be careful around Rosethorn too." He said, his voice lowered as he glanced over at the medicine cat. "She's sweet and caring, but she can be grumpy, especially if you knock over her herbs." He grinned, his eyes twinkling as Goldenfur gave him a hit in the head with her paw softly, purring. "Be respectful!" She said, her eyes matching the sparkle in his eye, laughing.

Ravenkit grinned and looked over at the entrance of the camp, leaving her parents and Wildkit and Moonkit to chatter as she padded over for a better view. Waterclaw was padding over to the two apprentices and Ravenkit's older sisters, Horsepaw and Honeypaw and asked them how they were doing, the mouse at her feet. Ravenkit shifted her paws eagerly, wishing she could rush over and devour the mouse, but she knew it would be disrespectful to the senior warrior. She looked beyond them and saw another figure padding into camp, the last cat on the patrol, Brightpelt.

The sandy-colored senior warrior smiled and walked right away over to the fresh-kill pile, dropping her vole and looking curiously at Ravenkit, who was waiting impatiently for Waterclaw. "Is there a problem?" She asked Ravenkit, who shook her head and sighed. Brightpelt followed Ravenkit's gaze over to Waterclaw and her mouse and smiled, yowling over to Waterclaw. "Waterclaw! You better get over here with that mouse before this young one dies of hunger!" She called, as Waterclaw's ears pricked with surprise and chuckled, walking over and dropping the mouse at Ravenkit's feet as she blushed, mumbling a thanks and leaning forward to take a bite out of the mouse as Brightpelt smiled knowingly and padded off over to her apprentice, Horsepaw.

Ravenkit quickly swallowed the rest of the scraps of mouse and trotted over to Wildkit and Moonkit, who had just finished telling Swiftstep and Goldenfur about how Lionkit and Thistlekit were wrestling and knocked Darkkit over into the pool earlier this morning when Ravenkit had been asleep. Ravenkit laughed as she padded over to hear the last bits of the story then said a cheerful goodbye to her parents as the three kits padded away, their pelts warmed by the bright shining sun.

They had finished the tour of nearly the whole camp, after nearly getting run over by Waterclaw and Honeypaw training, snapped at by Rosethorn and prickled by thorn bushes when they tried to get into Lilystar's den, and they were now on their way to pad into the elder's den to see if there were any good stories, when Ravenkit saw a flash of white fur, with spots of dark spots on it. _It must be Darkkit! _Ravenkit thought with a shock, as she watched the small patch of fur disappear through the exit of the camp.

_Maybe I should follow him...we're not allowed out of the camp! _She thought worriedly, but shook her head and decided to mind her own business as she saw Moonkit and Wildkit disappearing into the elder's den.

_I wonder what's wrong with Darkkit? Could it have something to do with getting pushed into the pool?_


End file.
